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A freestanding Antonio Lupi tub defines the updated master bath, which also features an open-plan layout and a skylight by Velux.

Simon Knight Architects turns a historic building into a contemporary family home by sprucing up its exterior and rejiggering the ground floor.

"The client had sourced some period-appropriate inspirational images and asked us to run with it,

The renovation entailed completely rebuilding the interior and opening up the segmented rooms. In the living space, a low-slung contemporary sofa offers a comfortable place to land without stealing focus from the restored antiques. The circular mustard rug reflects the tone of the hardwood floors and pulls the room together.

Main bathroom

Intended primarily as a social gathering place, the house has no dedicated bedrooms.

In the bathrooms, a different variety of plaster was employed: Moroccan Tadelakt, selected for its waterproof application. (“You see it in most hammams,” says Grimshaw, who had spent time working in Morroco.)

"I often choose finishes that allow the natural texture to show through, and finishes that emphasize the cathedrals and burls of the graining,

The couple has two rescue dogs, Wren and Lint.

In years gone by, the street was lined with Milkwood trees, some of which still remain. The angled bay window was specifically designed to frame two ancient Milkwoods, which were sadly removed by neighbours despite many objections. It does, however, remain a cosy, sun-filled nook with 180-degree views.

The holiday home is nestled into a narrow site in Buffalo Bay, a small beachside town near Buffelsbaai, with a Milkwood forest to the rear and the ocean to the front. The two living levels sit above a large garage/storage area on the lower ground floor and open completely out to the views.

A folding bench chair pulls out to be extra table seating — though the table itself is mobile, too, able to be shifted to a second wall mount to act as a work space when Kyle craves a change of scenery.